Portable breaker unit with barscreen separator in the material feed structure



Sept. 11, 1951 R MacDONALD 2,567,389

PORTABLE BREAKER UNIT WITH BAR-SCREEN SEPARATOR IN THE MATERIAL FEED STRUCTURE Filed Jan.. 6, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nb I N V EN TOR.

-- 29222016 [Vcjozza Z0! WW6AL- Sept. 11, 1951 R. D. M DONALD PORTABLE BREAKER uurr WITH BAR-SCREEN SEPARATOR IN THE MATERIAL FEED STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 6, 1949 s snets s heet 2 z MQCJZZZZZ -H w m. n w w flay 2720212 Sept. 11, 1951 MaCDONALD 2,567,389

PORTABLE BREAKER UNIT WITH BAR-SCREEN SEPARATOR IN THE MATERIAL FEED STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 6, 1949 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

)Fa morefl Macjozzazfd Patented Sept. 11, 1951 PORTABLE BREAKER UNIT WITH BAR- SCREEN ZSEPARATOR "IN THE MATE- vRIAL FEED STRUCTURE Ray-more D. MacDonald, La Grange, IlL, assignor to Athey Products Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application January 6, 1949, Serial No.=69,492

" 8 Claims. (01. 241-81) This invention relates to portable breaker 1" to .-for effecting reductions Of the size and amounts 1 1;"

.of material delivered to the crusher.

Considered in more detail, my invention has within its purview the provision of impact elements and a {grate in th path of movement of material to the crusher for effecting primary separation of fine material from larger pieces and the by-passing of such fine material relative to the crusher.

As another object, this invention .comprehends the provision of spring loaded trapelements past which material .is fed into a crusher, and which elements prevent .such material or particles thereof from being thrown out-of the crusher las aresultof impact.

My invention further .comprehends the provision .of a portable breaker embodying one or more of the foregoingcharacteristics and wherein the construction and arrangement is such that the main support is provided .by two wheels and a prime-mover is included thereon .for driving the crusher.

.It is another object of the invention to provide .a portable breaker wherein material is fed to .a hopper at the top in which line material is separated from that to be crushed and .from which the line material passes directly toanoutlet chute, while the coarser parts go through a crusher and thence to an outlet positioned so that all of the material together terms a wind- :tion will .be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the three sheets of drawings,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a portable breaker unit embodying .a preferred form of my invention;

.Fig. 2 .is a side elevational View of the breaker unit shown in Fig. 1, wherein an associated loader is fragmentarily shown in dot :and dash lines;

Fig. 3 is a rear sectional view of the loader unit, wherein the section is taken substantially .on a :line .3-3 of Fig. 2 and in the direction in- .dicated .by arrows;

Fig. 4 .is a fragmentary top sectional view wherein the section is taken substantially on .a line 4-4 .of-Fig. 2 and in the direction indicated .by accompanying arrows; and

, 40 Other objects and advantages of the inven- Fig. is .a fragmentary sectional view of a .part.of the structure which is shown inFig. .'2.. 2 Considering thegeneral structure and arrangement of the preferred and exemplary embodiment of my invention, which .is disclosed in the accompanying .drawingsfor illustrative purposes, my preferred breaker unit embodies .an underframe In supported by coaxially disposed wheels 12 and 13 which are mounted .at the sides of the unit on .an axle M extending through the underframe. On-the top .of the underframe and at the rear of the unit, a crusher 15 of one .of the generally known types is mounted. For the purpose to which this unitis adapted, it is my preference to utilize .a power driven rotary impact crusher. .Also, on the top of the underframe Ill and spaced forwardly. of the crusher, a primemover I 6 is mounted for limited movement longitudinally of the underfrarne. The prime mover, in this instance, comprises a diesel type internal combustion engine .drivingly connected to the crusher through a plurality of flexible driving elements I! .such as a seriesof V-b'elts'in parallel relationship. Ahopper i8 is mounted above the crusher and is .supportedpartially by the crusher and partially .by upright frame members I9 secured to the 'underframe between the crusher and the prime-mover. fi ls depicted in Figs. 1 and 2, the "hopper has a material receiving opening .20 facing forwardly of the unit and through which an aggregate of coarse and fine material is adapted to be fed by a. loader including a conveyor. 22., as indicated in Fig. 2. 1

Considered in greater detail, the underframe l0 of my preferred. structure includes longitudinally extending side channels 23 and '24 secured lat separated positions to cross-beams 25, 2t, 21 and. 28. At the front of the unit, a towing "yoke is provided -by front channels 23 and secured to the forward ends of the side channels 23. and 24 and secured together at their, forward ends to form a .V mid-way between the side channels. Bracing for the yoke is provided by formed top p1'ate,32 and longitudinally extending braces 3'3 and .34 secured to the front channels 29 and 30. .The disclosed portable breaker unit ,being adapted to operationwhile being towed at the .rear of a loader, the breaker unit has a coupling unit secured to the mid-portion of thelower side ofthe front yoke. This coupling unit, in the ,present instance, includes, telescoped, cylinders 3.6.and 31 which enclose andare biasedlongi- 'tudinally relative to one another by a compressionspring .4l ;(Fig. 5,) which absorbs shock during the towing. operation. As depicted, a link 38 at the front of the C linder 31. connects flexibly toa fixture 39 secured "to the rear of "the loader.

,In the preferred arrangement of my breaker .unit, the placement of the parts, including the crusher l'5 prime-mover I'B and hopper i8, 011

mill.

the underframe I is such that the weight of the unit is quite closely balanced forwardly and rearwardly of the axis of the wheels 12 and 13..

Thus, the wheels, through the axle l4, carry a very high percentage of the entire weight of the I unit, and only relatively small vertical forces are.

normally transmitted through the coupling 35.

For static stability, as well as for satisfactory such that there is a nominal'force downwardly at the forward end of the unit. Such force may be, for example, a few hundred pounds.

Thus, -to provide support for the forward end of the unit when it is detached from atowing unit or not in use, a leg 40 is mounted for vertical swinging movement relative to a shaft 42 at the forward end .of the coupling unit 35. This leg has at its free end a supporting foot 43 and is braced in a load supporting position, as depicted in Fig. 2, bya suitable collapsible or hydraulically operated jack 44, one end of which is secured to the mid-portion of the leg 40 and the other end of which is secured to a bracket 45 at the rear of the coupling unit 35.

While different known types of crushers are well suited to the crushing of different kinds of materials, and may be substituted in the disclosed unit, it is my preference for general use including road work to utilize a, rotary impact This crusher in the form disclosed, has a housing 46 with a flanged material feeding opening 41 at the top. A shaft 48 is journalled in the housing 46 and carries impact hammers 49 of the usual type internally of the unit. Externally of the crusher and at one end of the shaft 48, a flywheel 50 is secured tothe shaft;

while at the other end of that shaft a multiple groove pulley unit 52 is secured thereto. In the ensemble, the crusher I5 is secured to and carried by the cross-beams 25 and 28.

As has been previously mentioned, the dis- .closed prime-mover l6 for the crusher is a diesel type internal combustion engine. At one end, the

drive shaft of this engine carries a multiple groove pulley unit 53 in alignment with the pulley unit 52 on the crusher. The belts l1 provide a driving connection between the pulley units.

For the purpose of effecting limited movement of the prime-mover longitudinally of the under- .frame to adjust the belt tension, I have provided an adjusting screw 54 carried by a bracket 55 on housing. Substantially triangular lower portions 58 and 59 of the side plates 56 and 51 are formed inwardly, so that the opposite sides of the hopper converge downwardly adjacent the feeding opening. Intermediate the lower ends of those downwardly converging lower portions 58 and 59 of the .side walls, a grate 60- is formed by a multiplicity of spaced and longitudinally extending slats 62; the forward ends of the slats being secured to a cross member 63 carried by the upright frame lmembers l9, and the. rear ends of those slats being secured to a cross angle member 64 in the hopper structure. The grate 60, thus formed, slopes downwardly from the hopper feeding opening 20 to a formed apron 65 adjacent the forward edge of the crusher feeding opening 41. At the rear and top, the hopper is closed, respectively, by a substantially vertical rear plate 66 and a top plate 61. Preferably, flanges 68 are provided adjacent the hopper feeding opening 20 to reinforce the hopper structure adjacent that opening.

Below the hopper I 8, extending downwardly beneath the grate 60, an outlet chute 69 is provided for the flow of fine material which passes through the grate 60. This outlet chute is defined along its front surface by a front plate 10 secured to the upright frame members I5 and extending downwardly from the cross member 63 to a cross member 12. On opposite sides, as depicted in Fig. 3, the outlet chute 69 is defined'by side plates I3 and 14 which adjoin the lower edges of the triangular lower portions 58 and 59 of the side plates 56 and 51 and extend downwardly, with their lower ends secured to the inner surfaces of longitudinal channels 15 and 16. A rear plate 11 adjoins the front edge of the apron 65 at the top and extends downwardly ahead of the axle [4 to the cross-beam 26, and is secured thereto. Thus, material which is sufficiently fine to pass through the grate 60 flows downwardly through the outlet chute 69 and is discharged in front of the axle H to forma windrow below the mid-portion of the crusher unit as it moves along during operation. Such fine material thus by-passes the crusher.

In addition to the grate 60 which effects separation between fine material for passage from the hopper through the outlet chute 69, so as to limit the amount of material which passes through the crusher, I have provided additional means for effecting the primary separation of fine material from coarser material to which it has adhered, as Well as for effecting some possible preliminary breakage of larger lumps or pieces in the aggregate material. Preferably, the loader with which this crusher unit is utilized operates so as to throw the material from the upper end of the conveyor 22 at a relatively high velocity; such velocity being suflicient that the material is thrown into the hopper opening 20, rather than merely falling off the upper end of the conveyor 22 so as to slide into the hopper. Then, in order advantageously to utilize the relatively high velocity of the material as it enters the hopper opening 20, a series of striker bars 18 is provided, which striker bars are hung for individual swinging movement from a cross shaft 19 carried by brackets internally of the top of the hopper l8 and. inwardly of the face of the hopper opening 20. A channel 82, by preference, extends across the exterior of the hopper in parallel relationship to the cross shaft 19 and has the brackets 80 secured thereto for effecting reinforcement of the hopper and support for the striker bar assembly.

The striker bars 18 are relatively heavy and preferably extend downwardly from the cross shaft 19 to a level near the lower edgeof the hopper opening 20, so as to intercept material thrown into the hopper from the end of th conveyor, thereby to provide an impact with that moving material which is sufficient to jar the fine material from the coarser pieces and effect some breakage of weak coarser pieces. It has also been found more effective in operation to utilize striker bars of a sectional shape such that the material strikes relatively narrow forward edges of the bars, although those bars have a depth ing,-with the'-barsof the'series spreadacross substantially =the :entire width of the hopper opening. another consideration, the-mass :of the striker bars is such that in addition to providing an impact with the pieces of material, they are moved s'earwardly within the hopper to :permit the passage of larger pieces, rocks and the like to the opening :41 at the top of the crusher. Being hung :over :the --mid-portion of the grate, the smaller :pieces of material are directed downavardly by the striker bar Ito :the grate for rgrad- =ing, whereupon the larger pieces, thus deflected, slide down the sloping grate surface to the crusher opening.

' Provision' is :made by a trap 83 for the. preven- -*tion -of material from being thrown, '-;by impact within the crusher, back through the crusher 'open'ing 421"into the hopper and even from the hopper opening. suoh provision-iseof particular importance when, as in the present instance, .a rotary-impact mill isused which has 'impac't'hammers 549 operating at relatively high :speed to .e'ffect :the crushing of ithe material. my :prederred structure, and as L depicted in Figs. 2 and 4, the atrap 8 3 includes a plurality of slats 84* which, in the present instance, are of channel section mounted in adjacent, side-'by-side relationship above the opening 45. As depicted in Fig. 2, the slats '84 are supported at one :end bya-:cr0ss.-shaf-t 85 supported internally of and adjacent the rear ipla'te -66 of the hopper by brackets 86 secured-to the hopper .side "wall :55 and :1. "The shaft provides an upper support :uponwhich the slats '84 are mounted for individual -:-swi-ngi-ng *movemenu-and irom=which-upper support the s'lataexrtend {downwardly and -1forwardl to a position underlying the edge of the apron 565 at the for award edge of the opening 41. Thus, upward or counterclockwise swinging movementof =i2he slats, as viewed in Fig. '2, is iliniited "byitheir engagemerit with the -edge of the apron 65, ill' VhiGh POr sition they provide an effective closure wall between the interior :of the-crusher and the interior of the hopper. The slats are movable. however, in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, to a position :in which they lie along the inner surface of the rear plate 66, if necessary, for-permitting the flow of material from the hopper into the crusher.

Projectin arms 86 secured to each of the slats 84 at the shaft supported ends thereof, project outwardly of the hopper through suitable slots in the rear-plate slithereof. These arms 86 serve as levers, to each of which is connected one end of ;a tension spring -81, the other end of such spring, in each instance, being adjustably anchored through an eye-bolt -88 to a bracket 89 proiect- 1 ;ing from the lower end of the rear late .65 :near the crusher opening 41. 'The tension springs ,81 iihlls individually bias the slats 84 to positions, ;as indicated in Fig. '2, in which the lower ,,ends .of those slats engage the edge of the apron 65. gm this manner, the slats 84 are normallybiased to a position in .which they effectively close the crusher opening 41, although the biasing force is so adjusted that the weight of material against the surfaces of the slats which are exposed v:within the hopper moves those slats out of the way to an extent that the material can pass into the crusher. Provision for adjustment of the biasing force exerted upon the slats is made by the inclusion of spaced apertures 90, 92 and 93 in arms T for" varying -:the effective lever {length through which the force of the springs -18! operate.

The discharge opening for the ,crusher, 33,1- -though not shown, 'is,'by preference, located in the lateral mid-portion of the crusher and'be- :hindthe'lower end of the discharge chute 69,530 :that the combined discharge of fine :and gcrushed :material forms a single windrowas the crusher unit moves forwardly during operation. As a further preference, I have provided an apron 94 which .is secured to the front of the hopper 48 immediately below the opening 120, 1WhiCh apron ,projects :forwardly to ,a .position'suchf that it nor- .mally underlies theend ofafeeder conveyor durin the operation ofcthe crusher unit to catch any material whichrfalls fromtheend of the :con-

veyor, particularly when the operation is slow during the "startin or stopping.

from the foregoing description and reference "to the accompanying drawings, it :may be: readily appreciated that I have provided a'rugged-portable crusher unit which is adapted to use while being towed at-the rear :of a highspeed loader and which by virtue of its construction and arrange- .;ment, is capable of effectively handling large quantities of aggregatematerial. The effectiveness and capacity of the unit are enhanced by utilizing the individuallymovable;striker bars for producing an impact with' the material entering the hopper and at a .positionsuch that the force of the impact not only reduces the size of pieces, ibutalso aids in the separationof'fine and coarser material before such material enters-the crusher. As a'safety factor, -I:have providedtheitrap parts separately movable'to permit the flow of material into the crusherwhile preventing impact within the crusher from throwing anyxsizable-pieces of material therefrom. 1

While .I have illustrated ,a preferred :embodims-mt of ,my invention, many modifications'may be ,madezwithoutc par ing from the pirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the :precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail imySelf of all Changes within the zscopeof'theiappendedclaims.

Having thus {described my invention, what I claim asinew and -;des ire to secure by Letters :Batentofthe UnitedStates, is:

i1. .A portable crusher unit adapted to receive :an ;aggregate of coarse and hue material fed thereto at relativel :high velocity and compris- '.ing, in combination, a hopper having an opening .at the top :of the :front thereof through which theaggregateisfed thereto, :a plurality of striker :hars aligned laterally of the opening and reach :hung .for {swinging movement-interiorly of the opening, said striker bars normally extending to positions :in the hopper for impact with the .ma- -terialentering :the opening, an impact crusher below the :hopper :and :having communication with the hopper through a passage .at the rear :of the bottom portion of the hopper, a grate in the hopper sloping downwardly from a posi- =tion below said opening to the front of said passage, means providing anoutlet passage ifor-fin'e material below the grate and .in front of the crusher, said crusher having an outlet opening behind said outlet passage, a prime-mover ior driving the crusher, and an underframe supported by two coaxial wheels, said crusher, hopper and prime-mover being mounted on the un derf-rame so that a hig h-percentage'of the weight thereof is balanced on opposite sides of the wheel axis.

2. A portable crusher unit as defined in claim 1,

and wherein said passage between the hopper and crusher is normally closed by a plurality of adjacent slat members supported for swinging movement relative to a common axis and individthe crusher.

3. A portable crusher unit adapted to receive an ag regate of coarse and fine material fed thereto at relatively high velocity and compris ing, in combination, a hopper having an opening at the top of the front thereof through which the aggregate is fed thereto, a plurality of striker bars aligned laterally of the opening and each hung for swinging movement interiorly of the opening, said striker bars normally extending to positions in the hopper for impact with the material entering the opening, an impact crusher below the hopper and having communication with the hopper through a passage at the rear 'of the bottom portion of the hopper, a plurality of slat members hingedly supported in adjacent side-by-side relationship for separate swinging movements to and from positions for effecting closure of said passage, said slat members being individually biased to said positions for effecting closure of the passage and movable against the biasing force by the weight of material thereagainst for permitting flow of material into the crusher, said crusher having an outlet opening therein through which crushed material is discharged therefrom, a prime-mover for driving the crusher, and an underframe supported by two coaxial wheels, said crusher, hopper and primemover being mounted on the underframe.

4. A portable crusher unit as defined in claim 3, and further characterized by a towing coupling at the front end of the underframe and including resilient means for absorbing end thrusts, and a foot hingedly secured to the front end of the underframe for supporting that end of the unit when such unit is stationary.

5. A portable crusher unit adapted to receive an aggregate of coarse and fine material fed thereto and comprising, in combination, a hopper having a generally upright opening through which the aggregate is fed thereto, a crusher below the hopper and having communication;

with the hopper through a passage at the bottom portion of the hopper, a grate in the lower portion of the hopper below said opening and adjacent said passage and sloping downwardly toward the passage, means hung for swinging movement interiorly of said hopper opening and aligned with the opening for deflecting material from the opening to said grate, an extension on the hopper below the grate and providing an outlet passage for fine material, said crusher having an outlet for the discharge of crushed material, a prime-mover for driving the crusher, an underframe upon which the crusher, hopper and prime-mover are mounted, and means including a pair of aligned wheels having an axis located near a position of weight balance longitudinally of the underframe for supporting the underframe.

6. A portable crusher unit as defined in claim 5, and further characterized by a plurality of slat members hingedly supported in side-by-side relationship for separate swinging movements to and 8 Y from-positions for efiecting closure of said passage between the hopper and crusher, and springs separately biasing said slat members to said positions for effecting closure of the passage, whereby the slat members are movable against the biasing force of the springs for the how of material from the hopper to the crusher. 1

7. A portable crusher unit as defined in-claim 5, and wherein said means hung for swinging movement interiorly of the hopper opening is characterizedby a plurality of, relatively heavy striker :bars each hung for swinging movement in the path of material entering the hopper through said' opening, said-bars normally being lateral todirection of flow of material into the hopper and disposed at positions above said grate. i

8. A portable crusher unit adapted to receive an aggregate of "coarse and fine material fed thereto at relatively high velocity and'comprising, in combination, a hopper having an opening at the top of the front thereof through which the aggregate is fedthereto, means suspended for swinging movement interiorly of the opening and laterally aligned with the opening, said means normally extending to a position in the hopper for impact with the material entering the opening, an impact crusher below the hopper and having communication with the hopper through a passage at the rear of the bottom portion of the hopper, a plurality of slat members hingedly supported in side-by-side relationship for swinging movements to and from a position for effecting closure of the passage, said slat members being biased to said position for effect- RAYMORE D. MACDONALD;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 375,787 Wilkin Jan. 3, 1888 1,296,383 Grey Mar. 4, 1919 1,432,738 Alwart Oct. 24, 1922 1,449,169 Elzemeyer Mar. 20, 1923 1,457,210 Crane May 29, 1923 1,611,026 Gustafson Dec. 14, 1926 1,611,128- Gunnison Dec. 14, 1926 1,613,420 Warr Jan. 4, 1927 1,985,888 Day Jan. 1, 1935 2,020,800 Royer Nov. 12, 1935 2,171,463 Tschauner Aug. 29, 1939 2,373,691. Kessler Apr. 17, 1945 2,415,675 Crossley Feb. 11, 1947 OTHER REFERENCES Pioneer Crusher Trailer, Form 560 of Pioneer Gravel Equipment Mfg. 00., Minneapolis, Minn., bearing library date stamp February 21, 1938, 4 pages. 

